When to start fertilizing with bloom booster

[acendana114]

Hi everyone, I live in Southern California and the temperature here is still in the 80s during day time and high 60s at night time. My question is, when do I start fertilizing cymbidium orchids with bloom booster. Can I start now?

[Bill U.]

In my opinion (based upon studies and articles that I have read, and my experience with phals) it is not necessary to use a "bloom booster" fertilizer. Ever.

"Old Science" said that there needed to be higher amounts of Phosphorus in order for bloom spikes and good flowering to set. But what this does is as the P value of the N-P-K fertilizers increases, it decreases the ratio of the N in the fertilizer, which is really what causes the spiking and flowering to set especially well.

In my experience, I have not ever used a bloom booster fertilizer, but rather a 30-10-10 year round according to Ray Barkalow's fertilizing suggestions:
Fertilizer PPM Calculator
Fertilizer Mixing Calculators

Using these ratios, I have gotten nothing but amazing growth on all of my phals and phrags. But that is up to you.

P.S. If you have the time, take a look around Ray's site (Orchid Growing Supplies Semi-hydroponics Hydroponics Orchid Books PrimeAgra) under the "Free information" section for great culture tips

[goodgollymissmolly]

You never use bloom booster

[acendana114]

Wow, so those bloom booster fertilizers they sell @lowes and Home Depot are just gimmicks, then! Thanks!

[tucker85]

I agree that it's not necessary to use bloom booster fertilizer but it is a good idea to change your fertilizing schedule in the Fall. I don't grow cymbidiums but some orchids can delay blooming or even blast the buds during blooming if they receive too much nitrogen in the fall and winter. Even though the weather is still warm, the days are getting shorter so growth slows down. At the end of October I cut down the frequency and concentration of fertilizer that I give. I also flush the pots very well with plain water once a month during the winter because the plants aren't using as much fertilizer and the fertilizer salt crystals can build up in the media and burn the roots. Flushing will prevent that. In the summer we're usually watering so much that it doesn't happen.

[Ray]

Concerning the amount of nitrogen applied, the more I read about plant nutrition, the more it seems that it's not necessarily the ratio of N to the other nutrients that is important as much as how much of the N is applied.

I say that because I have been using the K–lite fertilizer for 11 months now – a 12-1-1 formula – and my plants are all blooming well. In fact, some have begun blooming that had not bloomed for years, attributable to the fact that I am using the fertilizer at about 50 ppm nitrogen. Even though the ratio is high the amount is low. That would suggest that a 30-10-10 fertilizer should be okay if you keep the dosing way down.

[Bill U.]

Acen, I wouldn't necessarily call the bloom booster fertilizers "gimmicks". What really is going on is that they are hyping-up the marketing of that fertilizer.

The concentration of Nitrogen in the bloom booster (full strength) is automatically lowered in comparison to the "regular" 30-10-10 type fertilizer. There is some truth that it will help produce blooms- the catch is that you are able to do this without having to switch from your regular fertilizer.

So Lowes and Home Depot aren't necessarily lying, but we have found other (cheaper) ways around it

[Ray]

Bingo!

[Cym Ladye]

Originally Posted by Ray

Bingo!

I used 30-10-10 from Feb to August and 10-30-30 from September to December for 30 years before changing to the MSU formula. I grew specimen Cymbidiums with that program. The answer is definitely timing the changeover and realizing that the change is basically the lowering the level of Nitrogen as has been said. There are other opinions on the need for high levels of Phosphate and Potassium, but the main issue is the level of Nitrogen.

If these were the only fertilizers I had available, I would definitely use the combination again. However, with advanced research, other fertilizer programs as the MSU formula, have surpassed the old "blue or pink" question as many call the high or low formulas, and the high-low changeover has become a bit antiquated, as well as more complicated to time.

However, for many beginner orchid growers, it is the only option, short of using 20-20-20, which also has its merits if the amount is halved from summer to winter - again, lowering the amount of available nitrogen. Whatever you use, just use something but use it properly.



Cym Ladye